Mounting clamp for a tube



Feb. 15, 1966 M. APFEL l-:TAL 3,235,216

MOUNTING CLAMP FOR A TUBE Original Filed March 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l V INVENTORS //e/ /a/oe/ I War/1122 Cm/ BY @Ma-meeuw ATTORNEYS M. APPEL ETAL MOUNTING CLAMP FOR A TUBE Feb. 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 5,

5 6 m w m Nah U mA A im United States Patent O 3,235,216 MOUNTING CLAMP FR A TUBE Mel Appel, Murray Hill, and Martin Schnur, West Orange, NJ., assignors to NJ. Therme): Company, Inc., Harrison, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Griginal application Mar. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 177,531).

Divided and this application Dec. S, 1963, Ser.

3 Claims. (Cl. 24S-201) The present invention relates to electrical heating lamps and, more particularly, to an improved casing structure for elongate lamp elements. This is a division of parent application bearing Serial No. 177,530 and filing date of March 5, 1962, which application matured into Patent No. 3,143,629 on` August 4, 1964.

The present invention aims to improve existing structures of the foregoing type to overcome various deficiencies and objections heretofore tolerated.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved lamp casing structure which is simple and economical in construction and is readily assembled.

Another object is to provide such structure having improved mounting means for the ends of the lamp element.

Another object is to provide such mounting means which protect the lamp element against shock or vibration, are readily manipulated to install and remove the lamp element, and enable the lamp element to be disposed in a horizontal, vertical or inclined position.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes -of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the speciiication, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of the casing structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the casing structure shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a lamp mounting means in accordance with the preesnt invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 4-4 on FIG. l illustrating the end structure of the casing.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings in detail, there is shown a heat lamp which generally comprises a casing including end structure 11 and an intermediate reflector 12, an elongate heating lamp element or tube 14, means within the end structure 11 for mounting the tube 14, guard structure 16 mounted across the open face of the reflector to prevent contact of the hot heating tube 14 and adapted to be displaced to facilitate removal and replacement of tube 14, a bracket 17 for mounting the casing structure on a Wall, ceiling or other support (not shown), and an electrical extension cord 18 for supplying electrical power to the lamp.

In FIG, 3, one of the tube mounting means 15 is shown which includes a tube clamping member 20 and a detachable clip 21 adapted for securement to the member 20 for maintaining the member 20 in clamping engagement with the tube.

The clamping member 20 is a strip of resilient metal, such as used for constructing springs` This strip is formed to comprise spaced apart, symmetrically opposite side por- 3,235,216 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 tions 22 which are free at one end and are connected at the other end by a fiat portion 24 provided with an aperture 25 for receiving a screw or rivet for effecting securement of the clamping member 20 within the end structure 11. Each of the side portions 22 has straight portions 25, 27 and 28 disposed in a plane perpendicular to the tiat portion 24, laterally extending converging portions 29 between the portions 26 and 27, an arcuate portion 30 between the portions 27 and 2S for receiving the tube 14 and clamping the same, and an outwardly iiared, bifurcated free end portion or tabe 31 for receiving the clip 21 in the manner about to be described.

The clip 21 has a at base portion 32 and inwardly flared tab portions 34 at opposite ends of the base portion 32 for receiving the portions 31 of the clamping member to urge the portions 31 towards each other.

The portions 29 have considerable length and these four portions together constitute a pair of oppositely bowed strip springs to absorb shock and vibration while the tube 14 is clamped in the mounting means. The end portions 31 by being split have the necessary resilience to facilitate attachment and retention of the clip 21 and -to maintain the clamp in a state to absorb shock and vibration. Also, by making the tabs 31 more yieldable than other side portions, the tabs will yield upon application of the clip without undue forces being exerted on the tube by the clamp. The tube clamping means 15 just described permit the lamp to be mounted in any desired position while fulfilling their intended purpose.

The casing 10 further includes an elongate member 35 (FIGS. 4 and 5) having sides 36 to provide a generally ogival cross-section and having a flat top portion 37 from which the sides depend and to which the bracket 17 is secured. From the description about to follow, it will become apparent that the member `35 serves as a common support for the end structure 11, the reiiector 12, the tube mounting means 15 and the guard structure 16.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the end structure 11 includes a depending outer end plate 3S which is secured at its upper end to the end of the casing member 35 (FIG. 4), a depending inner plate member 39 secured to the top portion 37 inwardly of the end thereof together with the clamp member 2t) and being slotted at the middle thereof to allow the tube 14 to pass therethrough (FIG. 5); and a closure member 40 having an outer end face 41 in frictional engagement with the end plate 38 (FIG. 4) and an inner end face 42 in frictional engagement with the plate member 39 and having an arcuate bottom portion 43 closing the underside of the casing member 35 at the end zone thereof.

In `order to accurately position the closure member 40 and lock the same in place, the plate member 39 is formed with projections 44 and the end face 42 is formed with openings 45 for receiving these projections (FIG. 5).

The reflector 12, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is generally parabolic in cross-section and is supported at its lower ends by an upwardly and inwardly folded portion 46 at the lower ends of the casing member 35. The reflector extends lengthwise between the inner end faces 42 at the respective ends of the casing.

The lamp element or tube 14, as already described, is mounted at its ends by the clamping members 20 and, as shown in FIG. 4, each end of the tube 14 has an electrical connector 47 removably coupled thereto to which one wire Iof the extension cord 18 is secured at a terminal 43. The terminals 48 have an insulation 49 thereon to prevent electrically conductive contact being made with the end structure of the casing 10. The foregoing described arrangement allows the tube 14 to be removed by first displacing the guard 16 and the closure member 40, uncoupling the connectors 47, removing the clips 21 and withdrawing the ltube i4. Similarly, the tube 14 can tending from said flat portion, a laterally extending spring be installed by performing these operations in the reverse formation between said recess and said straight portion order. and a tab at its free end; and a clip having tab portions From the foregoing description it will be seen that the for respectively engaging said tabs and urging said side present invention provides an improved heating lamp hav- 5 portions into engagement with the tube. ing novel and useful features and which can be fabricated 2. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein `said spring in an economical manner and can withstand such rough formation includes a pair of oppositely convexly bowed usage to which it normally may be subjected. portions of considerable length.

As various changes may be made in the form, con- 3. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein said tabs struction, and arrangement of the parts herein, Without 10 are outwardly and said tab portions flare inwardly. departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be under- References Cie by me Examiner stood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative UNHED STATES PATENTS angvttlir gltilslg Sense' 15 713,888 11/1902 Kenner mazet prising a member formed of a strip of resilient metal and I ""f having oppositely identical side portions connected at one 20 FOREIGN PATENTS end thereof and free at the other end thereof, each of 785,300 10/ 1957 Great Britain.

said portions having a recess for receiving a portion of e h the tube between its ends, and a flat portion at its con- CLAUDE A' LE ROY Pl'lmwy Examine nected end, a straight portion perpendicular to and eX- FRANK L. ABBGTT, Examiner. 

1. IN A HEATING LAMP HAVING AN ELONGATED CASING FOR A HEATING TUBE, A CLAMP ADJACENT EACH OF THE CASING FOR MOUNTING THE TUBE AT THE ENDS THEREOF, THE CLAMP COMPRISING A MEMBER FORMED OF A STRIP OF RESILIENT METAL AND HAVING OPPOSITELY IDENTICAL SIDE PORTIONS CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF AND FREE AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, EACH OF SAID PORTIONS HAVING A RECESS FOR RECEIVING A PORTION OF THE TUBE BETWEEN ITS ENDS, AND A FLAT PORTION AT ITS CON- 